Carolina Panthers complete interview with Miami Dolphins OC Frank Smith for HC vacancy

The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday they’ve completed an interview with Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith for their head coaching vacancy.

Smith is the fifth candidate to receive a virtual interview for the vacancy. Interim head coach Chris Tabor and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero both interviewed for the job, as did Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. In-person interviews can’t commence until this Monday.

Smith, 42, has served as Miami’s offensive coordinator for the last two seasons under head coach Mike McDaniel. Miami’s offense paced the NFL in yards per game this season (401.3) and finished second in points per game (29.2). Points came at a premium for the Panthers in 2023, as the team averaged a league-worst 13.9 points per game. Prior to joining McDaniel’s staff in Miami, Smith had tenures as an assistant for the Los Angeles Chargers (2021), Las Vegas Raiders (2018-20), Chicago Bears (2015-17) and New Orleans Saints (2010-14).

Mike McDaniel pays high compliment to Frank Smith

“One of the million cool parts about this profession and what I get an unbelievable opportunity to do is watching people earn things over time,” McDaniel said of Smith this past Wednesday, via AtoZ Sports. “Similar to my story, Frank has been in the National Football League a long time and how I first got connected with him was through stories of his relationships with players. He sees a lot of things very, very similarly to myself.

“He’s instrumental here with just my day-to-day and then also connecting me to the rest of the football staff and the players. He brings it every day. He doesn’t take anything for granted. I’m not surprised and he’s very deserving of the opportunity to interview and it’s not if, but when. Whenever that does come, I know he’s going to do an outstanding job. Because there’s not any guessing what I see on a day-to-day basis. So, I am sure there will be plenty of teams and he’ll do a great job interviewing. However that works out, I know that he epitomizes for me the NFL, ‘not for long.’”

The Panthers are scheduled to interview Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris next. That interview will take place Wednesday.